A load hook is known from German utility model DE 298 17 206 U1, being attached by a chain to a hoisting machine. The load hook is composed in familiar manner of a hook to take up the load and a hook-supporting housing known as the hook tackle, by which the hook is connected to the chain. The hook tackle is divided into two halves in the lengthwise direction of the load hook and has a barrel-shaped appearance. The two halves of the hook tackle are joined together by two screws running transversely to the lengthwise direction of the hook. In the screwed-together condition, the flat parting planes of the halves of the hook tackle lie against each other. In the region of the flat parting planes, in the lengthwise direction of the load hook, an upper and a lower recess are provided, each of which emerges through adjacent upper and lower opening regions into the top and the bottom of the hook tackle. The load hook is form-fitted in the lower recess and the chain, via a holding piece, in the upper recess. In keeping with the barrel shaped form of the hook tackle, this load hook has a largely planar bottom side. Arranged centrally in the bottom side is the opening region for the hook, especially for its cylindrical shaft. In the lengthwise direction of the hook, the outer diameter of the load hook narrows abruptly or in step-like manner from the hook tackle to the shaft of the hook. Accordingly, the bottom side of the hook tackle is ring shaped and the shaft of the hook extends centrally outward from the bottom side of the hook tackle.
With this ring-shaped bottom side, the load hook can easily get stuck on other, primarily projecting pieces of loads during their handling. From this position, then, as the chain is further slackened, the load hook can slip off and get detached, resulting in sudden loading of the hoist and a swaying of the load. Furthermore, especially in the case of rather small load hooks, the size of the hook tackle may be inadequate for an operator to grab it safely and without it slipping off when hooking on or unhooking a load or manipulating a load.
Therefore, the underlying problem solved by the invention is to create safer load hooks that can be safely handled.